Valsad

Valsad, also known as Bulsar, is a city and a municipality in the Valsad district of the Indian state of Gujarat. The city has a collectorate, a district court, and a police headquarters with a historic prison. The municipality is governed by the city mayor.

The name 'Valsad' derives from vad-saal, a Gujarati language compound meaning "hampered (saal) by banyan trees (vad)" (the area was naturally rich in banyan trees).

Morarji Desai, the former Prime Minister of India, was from Valsad, as was also the Indian independence activist Bhulabhai Desai. The forefathers of British rocker Freddie Mercury (born Farrokh Bulsara) were from Valsad, as well as those of Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw.

The Alphonso mango (known locally as Haafus), for which the city and environs was once famous, is still important to the local economy. Villages in the Valsad district have numerous mango orchards, the only source of income for many villagers.

Geography

Valsad is located at . It has an average elevation of 13 metres (42 feet).

The city center is about >10km inland from the Arabian sea. (See Tithal beach, below)

General Information

Valsad has got population count of about 68,679 according to latest census. Valsad district gives home to some of popular names such as Vapi (The Chemical Hub of Gujarat), Daman, Silvassa (Tourism landmarks of gujarat), Umbergaon & Sarigam (The Industrial Estates). This city's longitude and latitude are 72.98 and 20.54 respectively.

Demographics

As of the 2001 India census, Valsad had a population of 68,825. Males constitute 51% of the population and females 49%. Valsad has an average literacy rate of 80%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 84%, and female literacy is 77%. In Valsad, 9% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Railways

Valsad has got its landmark importance in railways. Valsad Station was established in 1925. City has got Valsad Control Tower for better railway operation in range of hundreds of kilometers. The city has workshops for train as well as coach maintenance. Many trains even originate from Valsad such as Valsad-Bandra (4:35 PM IST Up), Valsad Fast Passenger (4:55 AM IST), Valsad Kanpur Kamdar Sp Train (Mondays 05:55 PM IST-Dhr), Gujarat Queen, Vadodra-Valsad Intercity.

Tithal

Tithal Beach is a tourist attraction in the coastal region of Valsad, overlooking the Arabian sea. It has many tourist attractions including some grand temples like, Shri Sai Baba & Lord Shri Swami Narayan. The Indian government has funded in the development of the area, due to its popularity with local and foreign tourists alike. There are plenty of stalls and shops selling various kinds of souvenirs. You will also find places to eat both indoors and outdoors with plenty of choice from a full meal to traditionally prepared snacks. There is also a play area for children, public toilets and hotels.

Government Engineering College & Government Polytechnic

City has got two technical colleges namely Govt. Polytechnic (Estd. 1965), Govt. Engg. College (Estd. 2004 Dhr).
Govt. Polytechnic helds following programmmes:
1. Mechanical Engg.
2. Chemical Engg.
3. Electrical Engg.
4. Plastic Dept.
5. Civil Engg.
Government Engineering College helds following Programmes.
1.Chemical Engineering
2.Mechanical Engineering

Transport

The city has a rail terminus for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad line and Mumbai-Delhi line of the Western Railway. Connected by the National Highway no. 8 (NH 8), Valsad is about 210 km north of Mumbai and about 68 km south of the city of Surat.